Founded in 1993 by brothers Tom and David Gardner, The Motley Fool helps millions of people attain financial freedom through our website, podcasts, books, newspaper column, radio show, and premium investing services.

So What: Adjusted earnings fell to $0.55 a share, from $0.66 in the year-ago quarter. Of that $0.55, $0.14 was attributable to the release of accrued interest and tax benefits. But even then, Hawaiian’s $0.41 per share in core earnings beat the Street’s average estimate of $0.36.

Now What: In the wake of the merger of Southwest Airlines(NYSE: LUV) and AirTran Holdings(NYSE: AAI), Hawaiian is the rare carrier that remains independent. But with the 2008 demise of Aloha Airlines, Hawaiian may not need to. The carrier accounts for 45% of the traffic at its home airport in Honolulu, and keeps more cash than debt on its balance sheet.

Interested in more info on Hawaiian Holdings? Add it to your watchlist by clicking here.

True to its name, The Motley Fool is made up of a motley assortment of writers and analysts, each with a unique perspective; sometimes we agree, sometimes we disagree, but we all believe in the power of learning from each other through our Foolish community.

Author

Tim Beyers first began writing for the Fool in 2003. Today, he's an analyst for Motley Fool Rule Breakers and Motley Fool Supernova. At Fool.com, he covers disruptive ideas in technology and entertainment. Find him online at timbeyers.me or send email to tbeyers@foolcontractors.com. For more insights, follow Tim on Twitter.